Railway truck



Jan. 20, 1953 E. H. BLATTNER ETAL RAILWAY TRUCK 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Sept. 20, 1945 ik `59 /37 im f 42 43 Eg 2 l N VEN TORS Emi] H B13112161 and E. H. BLATTNER ET AL Jan. zo, 1953 RAILWAY TRUCK Filed sept. 2o, 1945 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTORS B13 Z'kzzef BY ILCL ov w @E i Caldi/zeg Patented Jan. 20, 1953 2,625,888 RAILWAY Tanon lEmil Blattner and Glenn F. Couch, Rochester,

N; Y. ,'assignors to The Symngton-'Gould C rlporation, Depew, N. Y., a corporation iof Mary :land

ziplinearen september zo, 1945seria1No. '611,653 so claims. (ci. 10s- 224i 1 'This invention pertains to Ia railway ytruck and more particularly to )a journal box mounting therefor.

An object of the `invention is the provision of an improved journal vbox mounting whereby a 'journal box and side Aframe is arranged for relative transverse and vertical movements with both of these movements controlled or ,snubbed.

Another object of vthe inventQIi is the provision of an improved journal box mounting wherein va friction or s nubbing -ineans controls denitely and positively relative vertical and transverse movements o f a journal box and side frame and the friction meansis further arranged to prevent movement of the journal box longitudinally of the side frame.

A feature of the invention resides in a series of resilient meansfor affording relative vertical and transverse movements of Y'aside vframe and journal box with positive 'acting -friction means associated with the resilient means for ccntrolling both of the movements.

A further feature of -the invention resides in a nest of friction means expandable in directions at an angle or normal to one vanother -for snubbing both lateral andvertical movements of a journal box and side frame.

The above objects Land features -as wellas numerous lothers will become apparent from the succeeding description of an illustrative or exemplary form ofthe invention which `is Ashown in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a partial vfront elevational and partial vertical sectional view of a pertinent part of a railway truck embodying the present Ainvention.

Figure 2 is apartial plan and-partial horizontal sectional view taken along'the lines 2 2 of Figure 1 looking inthe direction-of -the arrows.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along -the lines 3--3 of 'Figure` `1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective View of the friction means which Yforms apart of the illustrated structure.

Referring n ow in Adetail -to the drawings, wherein throughout the several views Vlike reference characters indicate like Partis; the numeral l is employed to designate generally a railway car truck and, as willbe observed, only a corner or portion of the entire truck 'is illustrated in the drawings. The invention relates primarily to an :improved support for a side frame y2` a 1 1d, asis well known byythose skilled Ain 'the art to which this invention appertains, a railway truck com rises a pair of transversely spaced, longitudinally extending side frames joined intermediate their ends by a bolster (not shown). The side frame intermediate 'its ends may be of any conventional design in that it contains the usual top or compression member s and a lower or tension member 4. YThe compression and tension members are united adjacent to each extremity of the side fra-me `to present a housing or pocket 5 which is interrupted intermediate its height by a horizontal wall 6 formed by a continuation of a web member 1 of the tension member. The housing -is formed in part by two cclumn guides or guideways l8 which open toward one another and also downwardly of the truck. Each guideway comprises an inner or inboard ange S and an outer or outboard flange I- joined adjacent a vertical edge by a web I l sothat each column guide is -substantially channel-shaped in horizontal section (see Figure 2) with the pair of substantially counterpart yguideways Vdefining a clear or transverse opening l2 therebetween.

Disposed within the transverse opening is a journal box or `load carrying member t3 which, as will be recognized vby itsfconflguration, is designed for the accommodation of friction bearings but as will -be clearly understood m-ay be easily and readily replaced Aby or exchanged for a vjournal -box Vsuitable for use with roller bearings. Ihe journal box has outstanding therefrom oppositely directed, horizontally disposed shelves, lledges or wings I4'reinforced by suitable underlying, dependent flanges l5 with `each wing extending into a rrelated side frame guide- Way 138031159@ ,the deblty .Orf tlfavrnSVelfSe movement of the journal boxrelative to theside frame, to be lc r 1 sid ered more in detail hereinafter, Aeach shelf is of va width substantially less than the transverse .distance Vbetween Aan adjacent vinboard and outboard column ange as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, with this distance vbeiivjeell ledges and ,flanges being determinative `of the permissible lateral journal box movement. At thisjsta'ge of the description of the illustrated species it is deemed well to pointent thatr a journal box is afforded a transverse movement relative tov the side frame to thereby imparta certain degree of flexibility to the ,trucs and therefore ,the/ latter is better fitte-d to lend itself t0 'irregularities in `vthe rails The .Side frame iS Supported ,by ,or connected will@ igurnalboxthroiishthe medium of mami insspcheracierzedby viewable 0,1 resilient meer-S it which extend vertically between theside frame and journal box. 'Thev greater portion of each yieldable means is housed within a column guide in vertical alignment with an underlying shelf but, as will be clearly understood, these components need not necessarily be limited t this particular confining relationship. Each specirlcally illustrated yieldable means comprises a load carrying double coil or helical spring l'l made up of a heavy outer coil spring I8 and a lighter inner coil spring I9 both of which extend through an accommodating aperture 2) in the horizontal wall to have their upper ends bear' directly against a downwardly facing spring seat 2l formed on a top web 22 of the compression member. This particular spring disposition affords the use of a spring of relatively long travel and thereby imparts an easy riding or acting quality to the truck structure. However, if for reasons which are quite obvious the useof a shorter travel spring is required, the horizontal wall may be formed devoid of the apertures 2i) so that the upper end of each yieldable means may terminate at or bear against the horizontal wall. This modification or alteration is exemplifled in the United States Patent 2,180,933 granted November 21, 1939 to D. S. Barrows, and is well within the scope of the present invention.

Acting in series with each double spring is a load carrying, yieldable sandwich 23 comprising upper and lower plates 24 and 25 respectively having bonded thereto pads 25 of resilient or deformable or displaceable material such as rubber, a rubber compound or the like. interposed between each pair of vertically disposed pads is a spacer or intermediate plate 2l which also has the pads bonded thereto so that the sandwich is formed into a complete or unitary structure or component. While two pads are illustrated in each sandwich, the number of pads which may be employed is of course elective or optional since the characteristics of various compounds are likely to differ widely. Further, while roller means might easily Ybe substituted for the sandwiches to accomplish some of the advantages gained by use of Ythe latter, it is, however, preferred to employ the sandwiches because the rubber or rubberized pads will, when subjected to a superimposedload, readily adjust themselves to thereby compensate for the lack of trueness of related friction surfaces which will hereinafter be considered in detail. Preferably, in this embodiment of the invention, the sandwich at each journal box side is normally subjected to compressive force only, that is to say, when the journal box and side frame are in the particular relationship as shown in the drawings, no horizontal shear forces are acting in the pads and the latter therefore may be considered neutral. Downstanding from each lower plate is a spud 28 extending into an accommodating opening 29 in a related shelf to thus interlock the lower plate and shelf so that they will act in unison. Because, therefore, of the flexible connection between thev journal box and side frame, the former is adapted or arranged to be moved in response to external impulses relative to the latter in a direction transversely or la*- erally of the truck. As will be hereinafter pointed out, the top plate of each sandwich is held stationary when considering horizontal directions so that any transverse movements of the journal box inwardly or outwardly of the truck will result in agradually increasing development of horizontal shear forces in the pads to build up these internal forces until the journal box shelf comes to rest against either the inboard or out.

board flange. When an external impulse is lmparted to the journal box to urge it transversely of the truck it may not be followed immediately by a counterimpulse or an impulse of equal intensity to return the journal box to its normal position. However, in the present invention no counterimpulses are relied upon since the energy built up in the displaced pads tends to return the journal box to its normal position.

'Ihe pads and coil springs acting in series and considered collectively form relatively live resilient means and it is deemed desirable at the present writing to positively snub or control the action of these resilient elements. rioward the accomplishment of the above there is provided a friction means Af housed within each guideway and preferably interposed between the coil springs and sandwich at each side of the load carrying member or journal box. Each friction means comprises a shoe 3B having a downwardly facing seat 3i bearing directly upon a top plate of a subjacent sandwich andv being provided with downstanding or depending spaced shoulders 32 in abutting or overlapping relationship with the top plate to maintain the latter in a predetermined or fixed position. Each shoe is provided with a vertical inner wall 33A upstanding from a base 34 thereof to be in intimate contact with a replaceable rubbing plate 35 removably secured to the inboard flange of the guideway. Forming a forward continuation of or joined to the inner wall is a vertical side wall 36 which also upstands from the base 3e and is in bearing relation with a wear plate 3'! secured to the guideway web by any desired manner or method. During a flexing action of the `resilient means which will result in the side frame moving vertically with respect to the journal box, frictional forces will be created on the contiguous surfaces of the shoe walls and described plates of each guideway to` assist in snubbing the action of the resilient means. v

In an elevated position above the base of Veach shoe is a ring-like or annular spring seat 38 which forms a supporting ledge for the lower extremity of an outer coil of a related double coil spring with the ledge being lof, substantially the same inner and outer diameter as the outer coil. Spaced posts 39 rise above the base'of each shoe beyond the horizontal plane of the annular spring seat to maintain the outer coil spring in a predetermined position. On the outboard side of each shoe there is provided a pocket or recess 49 formed by longitudinally spaced transversely extending vertical walls 4| joined along their inner edges by a canted, inclined or sloping web 42 which reaches up from the base of the shoe. This pocket in each shoe faces outwardly and downwardly of the truck and accommodates a wedge or wedge-shaped member 43 which is confined within the pocket and has an outer, plane, vertical surface 44 bearing directly against a replaceable brushing plate d5 carried by a related outboard flange. Each wedge-shaped member has an inwardly and downwardly directed sloping surface 46 which is correspondingly disposed as or contiguous with a related surface on the sloping web of the shoe. .Drillings or cored openings ll'i are formed in each wedge and into these openings there extends a pair of light coil springs 48 which act against or are retained within their openings by a subjacent sandwich top plate to urge the wedge upwardly and cause a transverse spreading action of the shoe and wedge. In this manner, therefore, the wedgesand shoes are at faces',fand auxiliary spring means urging said wedgemeans against each shoe.

6. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a load carrying member are arranged for re1- ative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, load carrying spring means disposed between said side frame and load carrying member for permitting said vertical movement, means associated with said load carrying member for allowing said transverse movement, and a single unit comprising a nest of friction means between and arranged to frictionally engage said side frame and load carrying means for controlling both of said movements; said means associated with said load carrying member being distorted during a transverse movement of said load carrying' member for assisting in returning the latter to neutral position.

7. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a load carrying member are arranged for re1- ative vertical movement, the combination of. load carrying spring means disposed between said side frame and load carrying member for permitting said vertical movement, and friction means between said side frame and load carrying member; said friction means comprising a shoe at each side of the load carrying member and engaging a plurality of surfaces of said side frame, a pair of normally acting wedges engaging each shoe, and auxiliary spring means urging each pair of wedges against a related shoe.

. 8. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a load carrying member are arranged for relative vertical movement, the combination of, load carrying spring mea-ns disposed between said side frame and load carrying member for permitting said vertical movement, and friction means between said side frame and load carrying member; said friction means comprising a shoe at each side of the load carrying member and engaging a plurality of surfaces of said side frame, a wedge engaging each shoe for urging the latter away from said load carrying member against one of said side frame surfaces, and another wedge engaging each shoe for urging the latter transversely of said truck against another of said side frame surfaces.

9. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a load carrying member are arranged for relative vertical movement, the -combination of, load carrying spring means disposed between said side frame and load carrying member for permitting said vertical movement, and friction means between said side frame and load carrying member; said friction means comprising a shoe at each side of the load carrying member and engaging a plurality of surfaces of said side frame, a wedge engaging each shoe for urging the latter away from said load carrying member against one of said side frame surfaces, another wedge engaging each shoe for urging the latter transversely of said truck against another of said side frame surfaces, and auxiliary spring means acting against said wedges.

10. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a load carrying member are -arranged for relative vertical movement, the combination of, load carrying spring means disposed between said side frame and load carrying member for permitting said vertical movement, and friction means between said side frame and load carrying member; said friction means comprising a shoe at each side of the load carrying member and engaging a plurality of surfaces of said side frame, a wedge engaging each shoe for urging the latter away from said load carrying member aga-inst one of said side frame surfaces, another wedge engaging each shoe for urging the latter transversely of said truck against another of said side frame surfaces, and oppositely acting spring means urging said wedges of each friction means toward one another.

11. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, load carrying spring means between said side frame and journal box for permitting said vertical movement, displaceable means between said spring means and journal box for allowing said transverse movement, shoe means between said spring means and displaceable means for frictionally engaging said side frame and snubbing said vertical movement, wedge means urged by said load carrying sp-ring means against said journal box and shoe means, and auxiliary wedge means interposed between said side frame and shoe means.

l2. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, load carrying spring means between said side frame and journal box for permitting said vertical movement, displaceable means between said spring means and journal box for allowing said transverse movement, shoe means between said spring means and displaceable means for frictionally engaging said side frame and snubbing said vertical movement, wedge means urged by said load carrying spring means against said journal box and shoe means, and auxiliary wedge means interposed between said side frame and shoe means; said rst named wedge means frictionally engaging said journal box for snubbing said transverse movement.

13. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, load carrying spring means between said side frame and journal box for permitting said vertical movement, displaceable means between said spring means and journal box for allowing said transverse movement, shoe means between said spring means and displaceable means for frictionally engaging said side frame and snubbing said vertical movement, and spring-pressed normally acting wedge means disposed between said shoe means, side frame and journal box.

14. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and ajournal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, load carrying spring means between said side frame and journal box for permitting said vertical movement, displaceable means between said spring means and journal box for allowing said transverse movement, shoe means separating said spring means and displaceable means for frictionally engaging said side frame and snubbing said vertical movement, and a plurality of vertically urged perpendicularly acting wedge means engaging said shoe means, side frame and journal box.

15. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, load carrying spring means between said side frame and journal box for permitting said vertical movement, displaceable means between said spring means and journal box for allowing said transverse movement, shoe means between said spring means and displaceable means for fric- 'tionally engaging said side frame and snubbing said vertical movement, and vertically urged Wedge means engaging said shoe means, side frame and journal box.

116. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, load carrying spring means between said side frame and journal box for permitting said vertical movement, displaceable means between said spring means and journal box for allowing said transverse movement, shoe means between said spring means and displaceable means for fric'- tionally engaging said side frame and snubbing said vertical movement, movable wedge means engaging said shoe means, side frame and journal box, and vertically acting Spring means associated with said wedge means.

17. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the .combi-nation of, load carrying spring means bet-Ween said side frame and journal box for permitting said vertical movement, displaceable means between said spring mea-ns and journal box for allowing said transverse movement, shoe means between said spring means and displaceable means for frictionally engaging said side :frame and snubbing said vertical movement, wedge means interlocked with said shoe means and engaging said journal box, spring means urging said wedge means against said shoe means 'and journal box, auxiliary wedge means, and auxiliary spring means urging said auxiliary wedge means against said shoe means and side frame.

18. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, load carrying spring means between said side frame and journal box for permitting said vertical movement, displaceable means between said spring means and journal box for allowing said transverse movement, shoe means between said spring means and displaceable means for frictionally engaging said side frame and snubbing said vertical movement, wedge means interlaced with said shoe means and engaging said journal box, spring means urging said wedge means downwardly against said shoe means and journal box, auxiliary wedge means spaced from said first named wedge means, and auxiliary spring means urging said auxiliary wedge means upwardly against said shoe means and side frame.

19. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, load carrying spring means carrying said side frame and comprising an inner coil spring and an outer coil spring, displaceable means carried by said journal box, friction means between said load carrying spring means and displaceable means, said friction means comprising a shoe in engagement with said side frame and carrying said outer coil spring, awedge in Vengagement with said journal box and carrying said inner coil spirng, and a second wedge in engagement with said shoe and side frame.

20. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical and transverse movements, the combination of, spring means carrying said side frame and comprising 'an inner 'coil spring and an ostei` coil spring, rubber :means :carried by said journal box beneath said spring means, friction means between said spring means and rubber means, said friction means comprising a shoe in engagement with said side frame and carrying said outer coil spring, a wedge in engagement with said shoe and journal box and carrying said inner coil spring, and a second wedge in engagement with said shoe and side frame; said shoe and second wedge being arranged to snub said vertical movement, and said first named wedge being arranged to snub said transverse movement.

2l.. In a .railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative vertical transverse movements, the combination of, coii spring means carrying said side frame, rubber pads interlocked with said journal box and dis-posed in substantial alignment with said coil spring means, shoe means interlocked with said rubber pads, and spring pressed wedge mean within said shoe means and being urged in a plurality of directions yinto frictional engagement with said side frame and journal box.

22. In a railway car truck wherein a side frame and a journal box are arranged for relative ver tical and transverse movements, the combination of, vertically directed rubbing faces presented by said journal box and side frame; said rubbing faces being disposed at each side of said journal box and spaced apart longitudinally and transversely of said truck, side frame supporting coil springs at each side of said journal box, rubber means carried by said journal box in substantial alignment with said coil springs, and friction means interposed between said coil springs and rubber means; said friction means being moveable in directions transversely and longitudinally of said truck to bear against all of said rubbing faces.

23. In a friction device for use in a railway truck, the combination of, a unitary shoe having angularly arranged outwardly exposed and vertically disposed brushing faces, inclined surfaces within said shoe, and a plurality of wedges engaging said inclined surfaces and having outwardly exposed surfaces arranged to move in directions away from said brushing faces.

24. In a friction device for use in a railway truck, tbe combination of, a unitary shoe having angularly arranged vertically disposed brushing faces, oppositely exposed inclined surfaces within said shoe, and a plurality of wedges having complementary surfaces engaging said inclined surfaces; said wedges having vertically directed and outwardly exposed faces arranged to move in directions away from said brushingr faces.

25. In a friction device for use in a railway truck, the combination of, a unitary shoe having angularly arranged vertically disposed brushing faces, inclined surfaces within said shoe and sloping in directions away from said brushing faces, a plurality of wedges extending within said shoe and having surfaces engaging said inclined surfaces; said wedges having vertical surfaces outwardly of said shoe and arranged to move in directions away from said brushing surfaces.

26. In a friction device for use in a railway truck, the combination of, a shoe having angularly arranged vertically disposed brushing faces, inclined surfaces within said shoe, a, plurality of wedges extending into said shoe and bearing against said inclined surfaces for movement of said wedges away from said brushing surfaces, vertically disposed friction surfaces on said wedges outwardly of said shoe, and spring seats on said shoe and wedges.

27. In a friction device for use in a railway truck, the combination of, a shoe having angularly arranged vertically disposed brushing faces, inclined surfaces within said shoe and sloping in directions away from one another, wedges extending into said shoe and having surfaces contacting said inclined surfaces, vertically directed faces on said wedges exposed outwardly of said shoe and in directions away from said brushing faces, and spring seats on said shoe and wedges arranged in different planes.

28. In a friction device for use in la railway truck, the combination of, a shoe having angularly arranged vertically disposed brushing faces, oppositely exposed inclined surfaces within said shoe, counterurged wedges extending into said shoe and having surfaces engaging said inclined surfaces, and vertical faces on said wedges exposed in directions outwardly of Said shoe and away from said brushing faces.

29. In a friction device for use in a railway7 truck, the combination of, a shoe having angularly arranged vertically disposed brushing faces, oppositely exposed inclined surfaces within said shoes and extending in directions away from one another, wedges having inclined surfaces engaging said shoe inclined surfaces, vertical faces on said wedges exposed in a direction outwardly of said shoe and away from said brushing faces, and spring seats on said shoe and wedges, the spring seat on one of said wedges being within the limits of said shoe spring seat.

12 30. In a friction device for use in a railway truck, the combination of, a shoe having angularly arranged vertically disposed faces exposed longitudinally and transversely of said truck, inner and outer inclined surfaces carried by said shoe, a wedge engaging said inner inclined surface and having a friction surface exposed outwardly of said shoe and longitudinally of said truck, and a second Wedge engaging said outer in-v clined surface and having a friction surface exposed outwardly of said shoe and transversely of said truck.

EMIL H. BLATTNER.

GLENN F. COUCH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,169,862 Peycke Feb. 1, 1916 2,091,783 Lazna Aug. 31, 1937 2,146,956 Johnson Feb. 14, 1939 2,150,870 Blomberg etal Mar. 14, 1939 2,151,603 Kjolseth Mar. 21, 1939 2,187,182 Shafer Jan. 16, 1940 2,355,450 Leese Aug. 8, 1944 2,362,989 Cottrell Nov. 21, 1944 2,539,607 Blattner et al. Jan. 30, 1951 

